Haverford and Penn Partner on New 4+1 Engineering Program

Published on: 08/16/12

Haverford and the University of Pennsylvania are launching a new program that will allow Haverford undergraduates to gain early admission into a master’s degree program offered by Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. The arrangement effectively allows Haverford students to obtain their Bachelor of Science degree in four years and then, through Penn, obtain their Master of Science in Engineering degree with just one additional year of study. Called the Four Plus One partnership, the agreement was finalized in April 2012. Working towards the agreement for Haverford were faculty of the Koshland Integrated Natural Sciences Center (KINSC) and the offices of the president and provost—all of which are beneficiaries of Annual Fund support. “This new program is tremendously exciting as it allows our students to expand the frontiers of their liberal arts undergraduate training and advance their expertise through well integrated specialization in a specific engineering field related to their undergraduate major,” said Rob Scarrow, director of the KINSC and professor of chemistry.

As part of the Quaker Consortium, students at Haverford may already take classes at Penn that count toward their undergraduate degrees at no additional cost. This new program expands on that relationship. In addition to providing access to appropriate undergraduate prerequisites, the Four Plus One partnership will allow Haverford students to take graduate-level courses that will count towards their prospective master’s degree work in engineering. “This expansion of our collaborative relationship with Penn is the sort of innovation that makes academic and financial sense for all concerned,” said Interim President Joanne V. Creighton. “We can now offer an engineering track to an Ivy League advanced degree, and Penn becomes a visible and ready next step for our students.”

“Many liberal arts colleges currently have Three Plus Two programs in conjunction with engineering schools,” said Scarrow. “But many students lose interest in Three Plus Two programs when they realize that they will miss their senior year at their undergraduate institution. Thus, I am pleased that we have been able to design and offer this Four Plus One program with Penn, which makes it possible for students to spend a full four years in residence at Haverford.”